Spigot tap



W. E. MUNTZ.

SPIGOT TAP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 192:.

1,4LQ3QL86 Patented Jan. 114), 11922,

VIII-LIAM EDGAR MUNTZ, OF LONDbN, ENGLAND.

SPIGOT TAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. ill,

To (all whom it may concern:

it known that l, WILLIAM EDGAR lviUN'rz, subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of 24: Southampton Buildings, London, England, have invented. new and useful improvements in Spigot Taps, (for which I have filed an application in Great Britain December 12, 1919,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide apparatus adapted to control gases and y'apours more efliciently than has hitherto been possible and relates to improvements in the regulation of the flow of fluids.

According to my invention I divide the hollow spigot of a tap by one or more mem branes or diaphragms in a plane or planes inclined to the axis 0t rotation, preferably at right angles to it, there'being a dividing membrane or membranes through the hollow casing in the same plane.

As one example of its utility I will shortly describe its application to incandescent gas burners and to gas fires in general.

The pail-like spigot plug of a tap is preferably operated from its closed end by a milled-headed spindle engaging it with side play.

The space between the closed in end and the dividing membrane forms a chamber for gas under pressure, its admission thereto being controlled by slot or slots of suitable width and parallel with the axis of rotation, and inter-registering with a slot in the hollow casing. The outlet for the gas is'provided by a pipe inserted in the membrane passing through and debouching from the other end of the spigot which is more or less open.

Atmospheric air is admitted to the cham- -Jer between the membrane and the partially open end oithe spigot plug, the admission eingcontrolled in like manner by a similar slot inter-registering with a slot in the hollow casing, the outer covering of such chamber-in the casing being preferably perforated to give free ingress of the air thereto.

The casing slot for graduating and controlling the admission of gas to the gas chamber is triangular for about of the arc of r0- tation, this part of it preferably extending diagonally across the concave circumference. At its base its superficial area is such that when in register with the slot in the plug, the assage allows the full amount of gas to pass, ,i. e. th cross sectional area is equal to that of ulated by the same handle:

the interior or" the gas supply pipe. This width 01 slot is continued for the remainder of the arc of rotation.

The casing slot for graduating and controlling the admission of air to the air chamber is also triangular, the apices of the two slots (gas and air) being on a line parallel to the axis of rotation of the spigot. The exterior of the air chamber is preferably perforated to give free access to atmospheric air, and the base of this triangular slot (which is also symmetrical with the gas slot throughout as regards the axis of rotation) of such Width that when the full amount of gas is allowed to pass (as indicated above) the air passage allows suilicient air to pass tor complete combustion under any condition (quality or pressure) of gas or air likely to occur. This is obtained by diminishing the width of the slot for the remainder of the arc oi. rota tion as much as is required to give complete combustion under the most tavourable conditions of quality or pressure of gas.

From the above it will readily be seen that not only is there a perfect by-pass but that at any moment with touch of the hand on themilled-headed screw any diminished efficiency of the burner due to varying quality and pressure or atmospheric) can at once be rectified.

The action of the device is as follows The gas either solely under pressure or by means of its lesser specific gravity over the atmosphere issues from the open end of the pipe drawing with it the airfrom the air chamber (which chamber acts like the outside tube of a Bunsen burner) and impinges on the mantle as in general practice to-day, but there is this great diilerence and improvement, viz. that'both gas and air are reg- Not only can the flame be turned down to the smallness of the usual bypass or even out if considered advisable, but any height of flame with a fairly correct mixture can be given, even when the full amount of gas possible is used. The admission of air can with a single touch on the milled-headed screw be so regulated as to compensate not only for any variation in quality or pressure of the itself but also for'any change in humidity barometric pressure or purity of the atmosphere.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention as applied to a spigot gas tap, Figure l is a section, Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a development of the slots in the casing, Figure 4 is a section of the casing, F igure 5 is an elevation of the spigot, and Figure 6 is a section of the spigot taken at right angles to Figure 5.

1 is a truncated conical sleeve having a membrane 2 at right angles to its axis. Surrounding the casing is a jacket 3, that part which is above the membrane 2 having apertures 4 to admit air whilst gas is supplied to the casing below the membrane by a supply pipe (not'shown) leading to the connection 5. Botatably mounted within the casing is a hollow spigot plug 6 closed at its wider end and having a wide opening 7 at its narrow end registering with an opening in the top of the casing 1. The plug 6 is also provided with a membrane 8 in line with the membrane 2 and with a slot 9 below the membrane 8 and a slot 10 above the membrane 8, whilst in order to rotate the plug 6 its closed end is providedwith a squared recess with which the squared end of a milled-headed spindle 11 loosely engages, the plug 6 being held on to its seating by a spring 12. The slot 9 in the plug 6 registers with a slot 13 in the casing 1, and the slot 10 registers with a slot 14 in the sleeve 1.

Gas passing throughthe slot 18 in the sleeve and slot 9 in the plug 6 flows through a tube 15 mounted on the membrane 8 into the Bunsen tube 16 and mixes with air which enters the iacket 3 and passes through the slot 14: in the casing-and slot 10 in the plug 6. Theslot 13 is as'is shown in'Figure 3 triangular for about of the are of rotation, the apex being situated on the left of Figure 3, the width at its base being such oi the arc of rotation. The slot 14: is also so tapered that the mixture of air and gas is constant for nearly of the arc of revolu tion, the slot 14 being then tapered in the opposite sense for the remainderof the. arc

of rotation, in order that the air supply may be gradually cut off so as to increase the proportion of gas as may be necessary, owing to decrease inthe pressure or poor quality ofthe gas, or any other cause.

It will be seen that it the plug placed so that its slots 9, 10 are in: a position corresponding to the left hand side of Figure 3 and the milled-headed spindle llbe turned a minute quantity of gas will flow firstthen a small quantity of a mixture of gas and air as the tap continues to be turned the quantity of gas and of air will gradually increase, the proportion of gas and air remain ing the same until the slots 9 and 10 reach the'right hand position shown in Figure 3, after which the amount of gas which is the full quantity the burner can take, will remain the same for the remainder of the are of rotation whilst the amount of air will gradually be diminished.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. A device of the character described comprising, a casing, a :spigot plug tightly but rotatably. fitted therein, a diaphragm in said plug at an angle to its axis of rotation for dividing it into two parts, a correspond ing diaphragm in. said casing, a common outlet for the plug and easing, each part of the plug and easing being in communication with the said outlet, means for admitting a different fluid to each part of said plug and easing, the walls of said plugfand casing being provided. with pairs of inter-registering slots with a slot 01" each pair tapered, and means for rotating the plug so'as tosynchronouslyregulate the out-flow of a mixture composed of said two fluids in any desired ratio to each other. V

2. A. device of the character described comprising, a casing, a spigot plug'tightly butrotatably fitted therein, a diaphragm in said plug at an angle to its axisoi rotation for divldlng 1t into two parts, a correspondp ing' diaphragm "in said casing, a common outlet for the plug and easing, each part of the plug and easing being in communication with the said outlet, means for admitting a different fluid to each part or"- said plug and easing, the walls otsaid' plug and casing being provided with pairs of inter-registering slots, a slot of one pair being tapered 1n opposlte'dlrectlons, a slot of the other pair having a tapered portion and a sub stantially rectangular portion, the other slot of each pair being" substantially rectangular' and means for rotatin the )lu so as to regulate the outflow of a mixture composed of sald two fluids with the ratio of one fluid to the other remaining constant during one a ro o-i rotation and Varying during another are of rotation. I

Dated thls 19" .day out-January, 1921.

WILLIAM Enema MUNTZ; 

